Luxury camping sites fully booked during holiday break

Two weeks before the holiday break starting from this Saturday, Dang Thuy Anh, 21, and her group of friends contacted four sites on the outskirts of Hanoi.

Three reported full bookings for the holidays. The fourth site, Camping Sport Dong Mo in Son Tay District, had just one tent left.

Her group rented the tent for more than VND3 million ($129) a night for seven people.

Glamping, or glamorous camping, has become a global trend though only recently gained popularity in Vietnam.

In contrast to the austerity or simplicity of traditional camping, glamping refers to picnics in the suburbs where travelers can rest in large and fancy tents equipped with high-class gear.

A representative of MoJen's Camp & Retreat in Thai Nguyen Province, about 80 km from Hanoi, said all of its tents have been booked for the upcoming holidays, with some people booking a month in advance.

The cost of booking an overnight tent for adults at Mojen is VND1.2 million per person and VND600,000 for children. The rent includes a BBQ dinner, breakfast the next day and free use of all services in the glamping area.

A representative of Sixdoong Cafe & Camping near the Red River in Hanoi said it has received more than 90% of bookings and forecast his site would be full for the holidays.

The services are open from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily, accompanied by entertainment and dining activities.

In the south, most glamping sites near HCMC are also full.

Tran Thien Phu, founder of two glamping sites in Dong Nai Province, around 90 kilometers from HCMC, said the tent occupancy rate at his two campsites had reached 90%.

In Xuyen Moc District in Ba Ria - Vung Tau, around 163 km from HCMC, Di Bui Camping announced that there are no tents left for the holidays.

Trinh Nguyen, the campsite manager, said the whole area had 30 tents that could accommodate a maximum of 150 people.

"The rental price is VND800,000 per person, with a surcharge of 10% during the holidays. Tourists coming here mainly travel by personal vehicle or book a shuttle bus to the campsite," she said.

Do Hieu, owner of Boo Camp in the south-central province of Binh Thuan said most tents at his glampsite were booked up to a month ago.

The trend in luxury camping has shown no signs of slowing as it meets the standards of guests who want to stay close to nature while enjoying full amenities and comfort as with staying in a hotel.

Many glamping sites use eco-friendly materials and prioritize environmental sustainability.

A recent survey of 5,000 Vietnamese by Booking.com showed half are ready to pay for sustainable travel.